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life A23
Monday, March 6, 2017 guardian.co.tt
Selling brand
Caribbean
to the world
From Page A22
Poon is the force behind the tourism
consultancy company Tourism Intelli-
gence International (TII), which serves
government and private sector clients
in over 50 countries, with clients from
South Africa, Palestine, Mozambique,
Jamaica and Abu Dhabi. In a past press
interview, Poon said: "For more than a
decade, my consultancy, Tourism In-
telligence International (TII), has been
helping governments and tourism agen-
cies around the world (Japan, Germany,
Botswana) to develop blueprints for sus-
tainable tourism. Indeed, sustainability
is at the heart of every programme and
initiative we develop or recommend."
Poon said these countries understood
how to expand through tourism and the
export of talent, and we too must learn
and understand that we are more than
just energy in the ground.
"We cannot do what the Chinese did.
Wehavetodowhatweknowhowtodo
and use what we have. And together we
can build a bigger pie," she said at last
Thursday's Leve launch.
"As an island, a Caribbean destina-
tion, we are not just about wearing short
pants and drinking coconut water. That
is not the image we want in the minds
of people. The Caribbean is a brand and
we want to sell brand Caribbean to the
world," said Poon.
"It is the energy of the people that
will drive this country, this economy,
and not the energy in the ground. We
have got to get to that place where we
are successfully exporting creativity,
exporting talent, cuisine, art. It is just
too easy to import and copy everything!"
"Life does not need another Rolex
watch. Life needs the Caribbean. It is
not just about selling talent, it is about
selling a story as well. People love talent
that comes with a story. We need... to
believe in us.... Are we always going to
wait until Forbes tells us we have some-
thing fantastic or unique? Could we not
have seen that for ourselves?"
It was this spirit of Caribbean pride
and a belief that what really constitutes
culture is not part-time or annual fes-
tivals, but the ongoing movement, vibe
and lifestyle of a people and a country,
that Poon says she has incorporated in
the creation of Leve, where luxury meets
lifestyle in the sister isle of Tobago.
The pre-jazz fringe event Leve began
in 2016. And already, it claims to be a
prominent event on this year's Tobago
Jazz Experience schedule.
At the launch, German manufacturer
Dr Christian Pottof-Sewing said what
attracted him to the charitable initiative
as an investor was the need to get away
from the incestuous, self-congratula-
tory pose that most countries and cul-
tures find themselves in, causing them to
move backward when they should really
be expanding and marketing the creativ-
ity that exists within as a brand. He said
it's not enough to just showcase T&T as
a source of crab and dumplings or pan,
but to showcase a much wider range of
what and who this island produces.
The first Leve brought together cre-
ative personalities including fashion
designer Claudia Pegus, decorated
chef Debra Metivier, mas designer Brian
MacFarlene and painter Leroy Clarke.
This year, the talent includes Trinidad-
ian-born master tailor and knighted
designer, Sir Andrew Ramroop, in col-
laboration with DWW Creations (Dis-
tinguished When Wearing) and Ecliffe
Eli Designs. Also participating are artist
and teacher Shastri Maharaj, and one of
the Caribbean's top chefs and captain of
the T&T Culinary Team, Adrian Cum-
berbatch, who will be making authentic
local cuisine, including his famous chow
lollies and his Plymouth Rock lobster
chow shots.
Creative directors of the evening will
be designers Richard Young, Dominic
Laroche, and Diane Hunt. T&T's very
own YouTube sensation Rodell "Ro'dey"
Cumberbatch will chaperone the event
as MC. Trinidadian-Amsterdam based
photographer Keron Riley will photo-
graph the event.
(With reporting by Bobie-Lee Dixon)
Power of Her brunch: March 11
The Power of HER is a new em-
powerment brunch for women to
take place on March 11 at the Cre-
ative Arts Centre in San Fernando
from 11 am to 2.30 pm.
It offers guests a unique opportunity
to meet and network with like-mind-
ed women in an intimate and engag-
ing setting in the city of San Fernando.
The event will be led by a panel of six
women who have achieved success in
varied fields, including nutritionist
Mweia Elias, fashion design Christian
Boucaud, and women who work in fi-
nance, corporate law and aesthetics.
It is a new initiative which hopes to
evolve into an annual event.
Lead planner for the event is Cherry
Fraser, alongside Corene Procope. They
are planning the event to recognise In-
ternational Women's Day as part of their
Professional Event Management Pro-
gramme at The Arthur Lok Jack Grad-
uate School of Business. A release from
the organisers says the event will discuss
the power of the mind, body and spirit.
All members of the public are wel-
come, and the event costs $250, to in-
clude the brunch and a mimosa bar. The
guest limit is 40 guests, so to book a
space, organisers advise that interested
people call 716-1819 or 775-1359.
Poppe & Potthoff President Dr Christian Potthoff-Sewing, second from left, shakes hands with Chef Adrian
Cumberbatch during the Tourism Intelligence International Reinventing Tourism media launch of LEVE,
Tobago Jazz and Fashion show event at Dianne's Tea shop Long Circular Road, Maraval. Looking on at left is
Tourism Intelligence International Senior Analyst Kevon Wilson and center Tourism Intelligence International
Managing Director Dr Auliana Poon. PHOTO: NICOLE DRAYTON
MORE INFO
For more information on LEVE,
call 676-6165.